In general, self-propelled row crop sprayers, referred to herein as crop sprayers, are a type of agricultural vehicle used to distribute chemicals, such as herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer, over rows of crops in a field. The various systems and components of the crop sprayer, such as a cab, engine, fluid storage tanks, pumping systems, and boom spraying systems are mounted on top of a longitudinal main frame. The main frame in turn is supported a predetermined distance above the ground by wheels to provide sufficient ground clearance for the crop sprayer to pass over crops, such as corn and soybeans, during spraying.
The wheels are attached to axles that located at the front and the rear of the crop sprayer. A suspension system connects the front and rear axles to the main frame. Due to length of the main frame and the rough and uneven terrain traversed by a crop sprayer, the main frame is subject to torsional forces when the wheels at one end of the crop sprayer are traversing ground that is sloped in relation to the ground under the wheels at the opposite end of the crop sprayer. The difference in the slope at each end of the crop sprayer results in the axles at each end of the crop sprayer oscillating in different directions in relation to the main frame. The oscillating axles apply torque to the main frame, and, in some cases, can result in twist or bending of the main frame.
There is a need for an axle suspension assembly that enables the main frame to be suspended on the wheel axles in a manner that allows the axles to pivot with respect to the main frame in order to absorb the torsional forces generated by the wheel axles when traversing over rough and uneven terrain before the torsional force is applied to the main frame of the crop sprayer.